Nitrogenase divarication with histological attributes distinctive for glycosylated aerial stem nodules and nitrosylated root nodules of sesbania

Abstract

Exceptional symbiotic nitrogen fixation with Sesbania has provided high soil fertility for many past centuries of paddy rice production. Unique stem nodulation results in high nitrogenase activity levels of S. rostrata, Brem, during rapid growth in continuously flooded rice fields that greatly disfavor legume root nodulation and this functional development. The objective of this study was to determine plant nutrient interactions that influence contrasting root and aerial stem nodule histology governing effective nitrogenase activity levels and nitrogen fixation. Top growth, nodulation, and nitrogenase activity levels were significantly increased with increased available soil P. Response to K levels and Ca additions resulted only when soil P was adequate in all treatment combinations. However, there was no significant correlation between fresh nodule weight, nitrogenase activity, and nodules plant^‐1 for both root nodules and aerial stem nodules. Nodule histology was highly contrastive with nodule type and Rhizobium morphology, cytosol composition, and governing enzyme activity levels. Distinctive nonpleomorphic cocci bacteroids of functional aerial stem nodules have tentative designation as Azorhizobium caulinodans gen. nov. sp. nov.

Notes

Professor, Soil Microbiology, Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, 74078 and Associate, Pathology, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, 32610. Journal Article 6089, Okla. Ag. Expt. Research Sta., Stillwater, OK.